Advoiding Dark Allies is a Really Good Idea
by tistrust
Summary: That is not the whole title...Ok this is the routine. Jules gets kidnapped, the Foggs and Passepartout have to go save him. Hopefully it works out like normal.
1. See

A/N: I don't know if anybody still reads these stroies, but when i get obsessed with something i get completely obsessed...

Disclaimer: I do not own anything, I do not plan on making any money on them, I have nothing, please I am just a poor student living off whatever I can! am i suppose to say anything else...sry new at this...

Advoiding Dark Allies is a Really Good Idea Because Getting Mugged at Knife Point or Kidnapped is Not Something A Normal Person Would Want to Happen

"She likes you! Really, she does!" Felix said to Jules on their way back from the café, it was well past midnight.

"Do you really think so?" Jules said uncertainly.

"Come now, are you telling me that you haven't realized how she was all over you?" Felix teased.

When they got to Felix's flat, Jules asked, "Will she be there tomorrow?"

Felix started laughing as he answered, "I'll make sure of it, my friend." And as he walked up the stairs he called back, "Be sure to stay away from dark allies!"

Jules groaned and continued his journey home. The dying street lights threw an orange glow as the moon light gently played on the surrounding buildings.

Jules softly hummed to himself thinking back on the night. She was absolutely beautiful, and better yet she liked him, at least according to Felix. And Felix was never wrong, mostly; ok usually, but it is good to hold onto hope.

She had silky brown hair with a tint of red in it giving a coppery effect that was stunning to look at for it held a deep contrast with her dark green eyes. Her dark red lips were soft against her fair skin. She was quiet but when he started talking to her she wouldn't stop. She was smart and funny. Sweet and innocent and yet she also had an air about her that said that she could be so much more…

Jules was avoiding the alley ways just as Felix had warned and seeing that he kept to the major streets nothing could possibly happen. Not to mention the fact that he could easily see the Aroura if it happened to chance, however that was unlikely since the Foggs and Passepartout had left this evening.

His flat was not much further, just another corner but this time he would have no choice but to pass by an alley. Usually he would give the alley a wide berth even though it attracted a bit of attention from passer bys, the attention of a stranger would be much better than getting kidnapped and tortured and who else knows what…

As it happens it was not usually that he caught the attention of a girl and it was not usually that he would like her back, since he already liked someone else. And it was not usually that he would be so obsessive about a girl.

But of course the one thing that did happen to the 'usualness' was the whole alley bit.

Jules walked around the corner, he could see the window of his flat just one more building and he would be there. Only problem was the thing between this building and his building is the little road between them. But Jules was not paying any attention. He was smiling softly to himself as he walked still thinking about the night and fantasizing about tomorrow night. Not two steps in front of the alley someone grabbed Jules by his shoulder and spun him around.

A glancing blow to his left temple and swift kick to his ribs and he was down before he had any idea to what was going on and by the time he did, it was already too late. The man had Jules pinned up to the alley floor, which by the way did not smell like flowers.

Roughly the man tied his hands together. Then he lifted Jules to a standing position before slamming him against the alley wall.

The wind was completely knocked out of him. Jules struggled to regain normal breathing patterns while the man had one hand tightly on Jules's throat while the other reached behind him and brought out a cloth. The man tightly pressed the cloth to Jules mouth and nose and ordered him to breathe.

Since there was no air in Jules starved lungs, he had very little choice in the matter. But Jules was still struggling.

"Breathe. Just breathe." The man said.

Jules twisted but the man held tighter and finally Jules took a breath. The cloth had a weird metallic smell that caught in the back of his throat making it palpable and just before the darkness took him, Jules heard the man whisper something that sounded like words.

------

It took them three hours to figure out that they forgot to get the incriminating photos they had come for. Therefore they had to turn around and go back to that bar in Paris; the only problem was that they do not know which bar it was Phileas was in.

"What were you thinking? We did all that work and you left the pictures in a bar?" Rebecca fumed. How idiotic can Phileas be? He only had two shots of vodka and he forgot.

"Well, I think it was perfectly clear that I was not thinking." Phileas retorted calmly, "and yelling at me will get us no where."

"How could you forget which bar? I thought you only went to one!" Rebecca said a bit less angrily.

"There was a picture of a pineapple in far left corner and then there was a sign that said 'This way to the bay'"

"Are you still drunk?"

"I was never drunk in the first place."

"Well, thanks to your antics we will have to go back and find the pictures." Rebecca was beginning to calm down, "Well at least we will have another chance to check on Jules." After the bout of "Yellow fever" Rebecca was strangely protective of Jules to the point of obsession. "Maybe he'll know which bar you are talking about."

It was well past midnight when they returned to Paris and they directly went to Jules's flat.

----------

He had to hurry. There were people coming this way and although that it was a late hour the moon light could easily give him away.

He had to hurry. This was his last chance to save himself. If he screwed this up, there would be hell to pay.

_Okay. Okay. Focus. Calm down, deep breath. _

He was ready. The man slung the unconscious boy over his shoulder and in a fireman's carry he ran as quickly and silently as he could down the alley, too bad he didn't see the cat in his haste to keep quite and the cat let off a shriek when he stepped on it's tail. _Stupid cat!_

He could hear the voices now, but he did not glance back and gave up the stealth thing and ran as quickly as he could with the boy and jumped into a waiting carriage.

"Go! Go! Go!" he yelled to the driver.

-------

Rebecca, Phileas, and Passepartout turned the corner and they could see Jules's flat, as they neared the alley way Phileas said, "Hey, an alley. You know I do not think Jules should live so close to one."

"You're drunk." Rebecca said.

"O fine, I'll be quite…" a shriek disrupted the quite night.

"That sound like a cat, master." Passepartout said and looked down the alley.

There was a figure carrying a man at the far end of the alley was and he was running towards a waiting carriage. As he jumped into the carriage they heard a shout and the carriage took off.

"What a strange man." Phileas said.

"I thought you said you would be quite." Rebecca said distractedly. The first comment Phileas made was still on her mind and she became worried. _What if the man was carrying Jules? _

Rebecca practically flew to Jules's flat and she opened the door without any kind of announcement.

_Crap._ There was no one here. She ran to the window and shouted down to Phileas and Passepartout, "He's not here!"

Phileas and Passepartout ran down the alley and Rebecca did her best to catch up.

The carriage was turning left about forty feet away. There was no way to keep up with it but they ran after it any way.


	2. What

A/N: I can't do the broken English that well but I will try. So if Passepartout sounds normal its because I have no idea how he'd say it. I am like most people, I do make mistakes and not to mention I am a terrible speller but that is beside the point. Okay you have every right to correct me if I get something completely off the fan wrong. Unless, of course you want me to look like an idiot, then fine…

Disclaimer in front

Phileas, Rebecca, and Passepartout returned to the Aurora without a single lead. They lost the carriage after about fifteen blocks; those darn horses could go pretty fast!

Phileas headed straight for the liquor but Rebecca intercepted, "That will not help Jules."

"Do not be ridiculous, Rebecca. A little drink never hurt anything." Phileas countered.

Passepartout ignored the two cousins and walked over to the coffee table where a note was placed, which was not there when they left.

The note was addressed to Fogg so naturally Passepartout could not rightfully read it.

"Master," Passepartout said as he picked up the letter and returned to Phileas's side.

Without a word Passepartout gave the letter to Phileas and without any hesitation Phileas read it aloud.

_Fogg,_

_You have something I want and I have someone you want back. Give me the photographs and your young friend will be back in one piece. Ignoring my demand will result in your friend's untimely and painful death. Have the photographs delivered to the Hotel Del Rio by sunset tomorrow under the name of Jacques Smith. _

"What an odd last name for a French guy." Phileas remarked.

"Great now we have to find the photographs that you lost! That is just wonderful Phileas." Rebecca fumed and suddenly softening, "Are you sure you cannot remember which bar that you were in?"

"I am trying my best, but all I remember is that it was really close to where we took the photographs." Phileas said.

"Well how many bars can there be Paris?" Rebecca said sarcastically.

Wow, what a wonderful day. This was one of the most important missions in a long time and Phileas managed to screw it up by misplacing the evidence. Then somehow the people she was trying to take down knew about the relationship they had with Jules.

"There are many Miss Rebecca, but there were only two or three in the place where your mission takes place." Passepartout answered, not fully understanding the sarcasm.

-------

There must be a good reason for why his head was hurting so much and a really good reason for why he couldn't take in a deep breath and there must be an even better reason for why he was waking up on top of a very dusty floor with his hands tied behind his back.

Jules groaned and rolled over but quickly resumed to his side finding that it hurt his hands to do so. He slowly opened his eyes and saw that he was in some sort of warehouse.

There was light streaming through the wooden roof, making horizontal white lines throughout the warehouse. From where Jules was on the straw strewn floor there were rows of unmarked merchandise all around him.

Jules oddly sat up and took another look around the place before hearing footsteps quickly approaching.

There was really nothing he could do. he was tapped.

_Why does this always have to happen to me?_

Really, really close now. Voices becoming clearer. _Damn._

"…worry, Mathieu. He will come through. We'll be fine."

"But Luc, what about the boy? Do we just give him back?" _That voice sounds oddly familiar._

"If he doesn't see…." The men came out of one of the many rows of merchandise, "Oh, never mind. I guess we'll have to get rid of him. Why?"

The one called Mathieu leaned close to Luc and whispered, "I know him."

"What's the trouble?" Luc whispered back.

"Tristan and I, we know him." Mathieu ran his hand through his dirty blond hair, "Oh, this won't be good."

-----

It was high noon now and now they have less than six hours before the sun would set, being autumn and all. Rebecca had no luck with the bar she went to. All she found were four extremely desperate men, all of them way past any point of even being remotely attractive. They were far from it actually. Think of the ugliest guy you have ever met multiply that by ten, give him the personality of a ticked off bare and the mentality of a gold fish and you would be close to where these men were.

Walking back to their meeting point, Rebecca noticed a small tavern next to a fruit stand advertising tropical fruit.

----

Phileas and Passepartout had less luck and had returned to the café where they were supposed to meet up for lunch rather early.

A half hour past the appointed time of their follow up, Phileas started to get a little worried.

"Do you think Rebecca had this much more luck than us?" Phileas asked his valet.

Passepartout shrugged and looked down the street once more. Fixing the table cloth, unnecessarily Passepartout asked, "Should we be checking up on Miss Rebecca, Master?"

Phileas gave Passepartout a look. _She will kill us if there was nothing. She will make sure that we find Verne and then she will make sure that they will never find our bodies._

Passepartout looked back. _I know._

Phileas and Passepartout stood up and started down the street.

--------

"You want me to do what!" Rebecca grew disgusted.

"Listen, you do this for me and I will give you the pictures you want." The handsome bar keeper replied.

"There is no possible way I can accomplish this!"

"Well you better find a way."

This had been going on for a good fifteen minutes. All Rebecca wanted to do was to knock the man senseless and search for the photographs without him. But there were six other men in the tavern at the same time. What were the odds that she would get them all down and have enough left to find the pictures?

She was about to leave and get reinforcements when the bar keep suddenly said, "Alright, miss, how about a new deal?"

"What is it this time?" Rebecca said wearily, there was no time for this. She had already checked all the possible places the pictures could be outside of the bar itself.

"Well, I have always wanted to fly. Would you be able to accommodate me in that way?" the keeper said.

"Accommodate? Where did you learn a four syllable word?" Rebecca scoffed. She still was not over the last thing the man said.

The man smiled softly, "I didn't th…"

"I did not say that I could not do it," Rebecca interrupted, "This would be simple, but to let you know you will not be the one doing the flying."

The man looked a little shocked but he quickly recovered and nodded as if buying some much needed time.

"Sure thing, miss" he said then scowling he asked, "How will I know that your word will be trusted?"

Rebecca smiled and took off the emerald necklace she was wearing and handed it to the bar keeper, "My father gave me this for my tenth birthday, he died a few years after that and this is all I have to remember him by."

The man smiled, lighting up his green gray eyes, and bent down to retrieve a box. He dug through it for a while coming out with a small stack of black and white pictures.

Rebecca turned and walked out of the tavern colliding into Passepartout.

----

_Oh blast I was hoping to get a head start just in case she was okay!_ Phileas was going to be in for it now.

Rebecca however did not react in any way that Phileas or Passepartout would have imagined. She smiled sweetly and said, "Hurry up" and walked towards a nearby carriage.

-----

The plan was simple. Copy the pictures. Give the originals to the Service and turn in the copies to the people that have Jules. Therefore, everyone gets what they want.

Alright now to make sure it goes off without a problem.


	3. Happens

A/N: Suggestions? Anybody? Come now, I am sure there is one person out there out of the 5 or so people that reads this that has some idea about where I should go. Oh, fine…I'll do it myself! If you are reading this, wow, I cant believe u have this long of an attention span. I'm sorry. Get on with the story, ignore this.

"Luc, you remember Monique, right?" Mathieu asked and Luc nodded, "well this was the guy."

"Are you sure?"

Mathieu looked at Jules again, "Umm… Yeah."

Luc thought for moment, studying Jules's face and then finally looked at Mathieu, "What's your point?"

"Luc, I only wanted…I never…" Mathieu spluttered, how could he tell Luc that what happened between Jules and Tristan was not completely Jules fault? Tristan would kill him. On second thought, "Maybe no. it might not be the guy. I don't know Luc! God, we need the money, but..."

"Not this again" Luc took Mathieu by the shoulder and led him away from hearing distance of Jules.

This was his chance, his best chance if he'll ever get one. Jules awkwardly, using his elbows against a convenient create, got to his feet. Running would not be easy, but maybe sneaking off would end with better results.

Taking a deep breath and checking to see if Mathieu and Luc were still in their discussion he crouched low and went off into the maze of merchandise.

As it turns out the maze wan not exactly a labyrinth, it ended at a door actually, which was by far the extreme luck you can only get in a terrible story. The door was even open!

Jules thought about how uncomplicated this all seemed, _but why press the luck? Just get through the door._

Jules shrugged to himself and seeing that nothing prevented him from getting outside, he walked out.

-----

"Luc, we don't have time for this, Tristan will be here soon. If we let him see the boy, he'll kill him before we get the pictures, then we won't get the money and then we'll all be thrown out to live with the rats. I don't like rats, Luc. The disease ridden, long tailed freaks of nature that will…"

"Mathieu, for god's sake, be quiet" Luc ordered, "Just calm down. Tristan knows that we need the money. Let's just tell him that he can have the boy after we get the photographs."

"You know Tristan, you know that he'll like to make things come out all long and he'll keep at it until the kid is nothing but a puddle of pudding."

It was true; Tristan did like to draw things out. But they had no choice the Italian mafia needed those photographs back and if they did this they would have enough money to pay back the Russian mafia meaning that death would occur much later in these boys' lives. "Be patient. I'm sure Tristan will understand."

Mathieu gave a sound that was half a groan and half impatient whining. He looked over Luc's shoulder to check on Jules. The boy was gone.

_THE BOY IS GONE!_ Flashed in his mind somewhere but he took no heed for a few seconds, too busy with thoughts about what Tristan would do once he got back and the consequences of those actions. Mathieu then did a double take and practically screamed into Luc's ear, "He's gone!"

Luc spun around. _Insert French curse word here!_ "He should not have gotten very far. Mathieu go outside. Check everywhere he could be."

Mathieu nodded and went off to do as he was told as Luc started checking inside the warehouse, it was a little past noon and everything was already down the gutter.

-----

The plan was simple. Copy the pictures. Give the originals to the Service and turn in the copies to the people that have Jules. Therefore, everyone gets what they want.

Alright now to make sure it goes off without a problem.

There finished. All set. Everything is in place. Let's go home.

Now what?

"What do we do now, master?" Passepartout asked they did everything that was asked and it was not even one o'clock yet.

"We wait, Passepartout." Phileas answered without a single hint of emotion, he was getting back into his old self again. "Would you get us some tea?"

"Yes, master."

"Phileas? Do you not think that this was a little too easy?" Rebecca asked.

"Rebecca, who am I to argue if things are simple for once?" Phileas said flatly, not even looking up from his early edition of the _Times_

Rebecca did not look consoled by his comment and went back to checking over her costume. Another thought interrupted her inspection of her suit. "Phileas, do you think that they would hurt him?"

"No." he said without hesitation.

Rebecca nodded, "why?"

"They said they would not hurt him if we gave them the pictures." He replied.

"No they didn't. They said he would _be back in one piece_ not that they would not hurt him." Rebecca argued.

Phileas set down his edition of _The Times_ and looked at Rebecca. The abruptly stood up and walked out the door of the Aurora.

----

Jules looked around the warehouse he just exited. No one was there. His hands were still tied but other than that he was free to go. There seemed to be no other buildings around the warehouse or maybe he was in just in the back.

Bad, bad feeling, things never go this easy. There had to be something more to this. What was he missing?

"He's gone!"

Oh, that. Right. Run.

Jules stumbled along, best as he could. Rounding the corner to the front side of the building Jules saw a man, couldn't tell which man it was, but he spun on a dime and ran the other way, hands still tied so it was more of a fast awkward wiggle.

Didn't work. The man caught up with Jules almost immediately, tackling him to the ground, pinning him face down.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Jules didn't answer and seeing no other choice let the man roughly pull him up and practically throwing him back into the warehouse.

------

"Did you two idiots lose something?" Tristan said to Luc.

"We didn't lose him, Tristan, he escaped." Mathieu pointed out coming from one of the many rows of creates.

Tristan gave him a tried sigh and swung Jules to the floor, seemingly with renewed strength.

Tristan finally got a good look at Jules, "Do I know you?"

"No, Tristan. He's just got one of those faces." Mathieu tried.

Tristan didn't buy it, but who would? This was the guy that was trying to get Monique. The pig was looking at her the whole night. Tristan grabbed Jules by the collar and slammed him into the closet create, forcing all the air in Jules's lungs out.

"Bastard" Tristan whispered, "You have no right to even look at her." He brought his fist into Jules's ribs. Tristan brought his hands to Jules's throat, "If you ever," he increased the pressure, "so much as think," harder, "of her ever," the kid was gasping, "I will make sure that you will never see again."

Jules couldn't have answered if he tried.

Tristan suddenly let go of Jules and without the support Jules crumpled to the floor.


	4. In

A/N: tohruhonda987, you have just helped make this day one of the best in my life, I kid u not. Lots of things happened today, and this just made it perfect. Thanks for telling me, and don't worry, I think I have an idea of how this will go. Chocolate machine makes actual chocolate, no substitutes. Sorry, short chap. I'll strat doing more when finals are over

Phileas had wonderfully convinced Passepartout and Rebecca that they would be of more use if they had gone undercover in the hotel where the exchange would take place. How the exchange itself would work is still a mystery but it is supposable that they would have just let Jules go.

But now, that plan is out the window.

Phileas now rode around the surrounding land of the hotel. The kidnappers most likely picked the hotel because of geographical convenience, therefore where they were holding Jules might not be that far away.

Although the hotel was grand it was also secluded. There was not much else there other than a bridge over the clear blue river and what looked to be a house that maintained the bridge.

Phileas, perfectly balanced on a gallant mare, trotted over to the filthy house. It looked like a good one story, one room house, complete with an outhouse, but the doors were unnaturally large on the side near the river, like those of a barn house door.

-------

Tristan is not happy and when Tristan is not happy then one would have to do his best to stay out of Tristan's way.

Mathieu watched the kid fall to the ground and backed into the crates when Tristan started kicking the boy, screaming unintelligible curses in French.

Luc on the other hand, would not stand back and watch idly as Tristan kicked their one way ticket out of debt to death. Luc wrenched Tristan off of Jules and pulled Tristan to a window on the other side of the warehouse.

Mathieu went over to the kid. He looked terrible, good thing he's not up to feel it.

The kid was pale and Mathieu would have thought him dead if it were not for the gasping breaths he took.

Mathieu bent down and checked the kid over as well as he could, it would not be good if Jules died, because in the long run it would spell out their deaths as well. There were bruises already forming on the boy's chest and a bit of blood was coming from the side of his mouth, something odd told him that this was a sign of internal bleeding, but he wasn't sure. Mathieu shifted the kid into a better position and stood up when he heard footsteps.

-----

"You cannot keep behaving like a madman." Luc said in a low voice, "He is the only chance that we will get to pay them off. After, you can do whatever you want. But not until then." There were still four more hours before the sun would set and they would have to make good on their threat.

Soon they would have to go to the Hotel and check if the British agents had done what they had wanted.

Tristan growled but made no move towards the boy and Mathieu.

"Why don't you…" Luc continued but trailed off when he saw a very well dressed gentleman outside the window.

-----

Phileas dismounted and walked towards the building. The door was open.

Years of experience told him that this was incredibly wrong, so he drew out his pistol and walked into the house checking each side of the door. No one was there.

Phileas gave the place a look over and found that if there was someone in there they could easily hide behind the many crates that were filled with machinery and mechanical parts.

Phileas sighed. This was not as easy as he thought it would be. Then again, not anything ever was. Phileas climbed one of crates to get a better look at the whole warehouse, keeping his pistol out in case someone was out there.

Crouching low, Phileas scanned the whole area. On the floor in what appeared to be the middle of the small warehouse was a body, lying completely still. Among the many rows of crates were three heads not looking up or any where near his direction.

Taking the chance Phileas started running towards the figure on the floor as quietly as he could in the half crouch he was using; all the time hoping that the body was not Jules and knowing that it was.

-----

Why does everything have to hurt? What did he do to deserve this kind of physical pain? Did he somehow piss off some all knowing being without realizing it?

Jules rolled over onto his side and tried to get up, it didn't work very well and he fell onto the hard floor coughing and suddenly realizing what the coppery taste in his mouth was.

He didn't want to move. Maybe if he stayed completely still nothing bad could happen, no that didn't work either. No matter how hard he tried it didn't seem possible that he could find any position that would suite all his hurts.


	5. Dark Allies

A/N: I AM FINISHED! WOOT! Proud of me? I am! ok sry...

Luc had turned away for a second and now the gentleman was gone. That's not good.

"Mathieu, check out the back. Tristan, go check on the kid." Luc ordered and went towards the entrance no one was getting out if he could help it.

----

The men were at their place when Phileas climbed down from the crates. He figured that he had very little time before they would find him.

There was not much he could do for Verne. Phileas touched Verne's shoulder, trying to gently wake him. Verne whimpered and tried to move away from Phileas's touch.

"Verne, quickly before they see us." Phileas said as he took Jules's arm and hooked it over his shoulder.

"Fogg?"

"Yes, that's right." Phileas said as if this happened every day and started to lead Jules out of the warehouse.

Jules moved willingly but not as quickly as Phileas would have wanted. Someone was coming, down the next isle.

Phileas placed Jules on the ground as gently as he could and climbed up onto the crates again.

------

Tristan was glad that Luc had told him to check on the kid. He now had the chance to really show the kid what it was like if someone messed with him and his girl.

Tristan walked up the isle that would lead to Jules. He was submerged in his plans, thinking up things to do that would be extremely painful. He was so deep in thought that he didn't even realize that something was wrong until Phileas jumped down from the creates and expertly pinned him to the floor.

-----

_Either I'm getting better at this or they're getting worse_.

Phileas quickly took care of the man he had down with a swift and final slam. The man didn't even make a sound. Which was good, considering the situation.

Alright back to Verne. Phileas strung Jules's arm over his shoulder again and walked towards the entrance.

-----

Mathieu was confused, he was supposed to be in the back, but why was he suppose to do that. There was nothing back there. The guy that broke in wouldn't be in the back. He was probably here for the kid. So why would Luc send him to the back of the warehouse.

He didn't have an answer, only a bunch of assumptions that only made half of the sense that they were. Mathieu checked out the back of the warehouse and now he was bored, just like he thought. There was no one here. Wait! What was that? There were little noises coming from behind him.

Mathieu swung around. Oh, it was just Fluffy and Frisky; they were the mice he named and fed two days ago. Poor things looked ready to die, but now they were scared. Last time they were petrified. So this is an improvement!

Maybe he should go back to the front of the warehouse or maybe he should go make sure that Luc didn't kill the kid.

Mathieu walked towards the entrance thinking it would be good to drop by on Tristan on the way to Luc.

Mathieu found Tristan on the floor.

"Luc!" that was the only thing that Mathieu could think of doing.

-----

Luc was pacing the front entrance when he heard Mathieu shout his name. by the sound of it something happened that was beyond Mathieu's control.

Luc grabbed the crow bar he had and started running towards Mathieu.

He got about ten feet when he saw the gentleman and his ticket out of debt.

Luc made up his mind.

Mathieu could wait. Tristan would be fine. But if they didn't have the kid, they would all be dead.

----

Phileas didn't have any where to run. He couldn't not with Jules practically dead on his feet. The only reasonable thing to do was to put Jules down. So he did. Jules was half awake and could barely stand so Phileas leaned Jules against one of the many crates.

_Does that guy have a crow bar? _

He can't leave Jules here alone, and he can't just stand here. Phileas stood his ground. Luc came brailing down the corridor of crates.

_What if I just...?_

Phileas calmly stepped out of the way just as Luc was about to plow into him.

That was a mistake as Luc kept going, ignoring Phileas completely and grabbed Jules.

Phileas cursed himself for something he could have never known.

Luc held Jules like a human shield, Luc's crow bar across Jules's throat, pressuring when Jules did not comply.

"Do you have the photographs?" Luc asked.

"We do have them and we did what you told us to do." Phileas answered. What a turn of events!

"Then why are you here?"

"Do not think ill of me. I just trust you as far as I can throw you. And I care about my friend enough to at least know where he is."

"Give me the photographs and I'll give you the kid."

_Crap._

----

Mathieu couldn't stay there any longer. Tristan wasn't dead, just out cold.

Mathieu stood and started for Luc, there was still the matter of the gentleman to consider.

Not fifteen feet later Mathieu came to an odd scene being played out in front of him.

Luc was holding the kid hostage. The gentleman, assuming that he was Fogg, stood stalk still.

Neither saw him. Good. Mathieu pulled out his pocket knife and walked up to Fogg.

Holding the point to Fogg's back he said, "Do not move."

----

_Bloody hell! Things just keep getting better, don't they?_

Phileas did what the voice told him to. A hand searched him and disarmed him. Then the same hand moved him towards the crates and held him there.

----

"Luc, what now?" Mathieu said.

"Tie him up!"

"Right" Mathieu glanced around, "I don't have anything."

Luc sighed and pushed Jules to the floor, "If you even move a muscle, I will personally make sure that you will never see the light of day again."

Luc went to a crate and pulled out a rope. Aren't these crates convenient!

"Here" Luc said and went back over to Jules, "Where's Tristan?"

Mathieu tied Fogg's hands together, checking the tightness, "Out, completely."

"I'm fine, Mat" Tristan said, "I just have a headache."

Mathieu sat Fogg down on the other side of their small clearing and continued to bind his legs. This one could be trouble.

"What in the world possessed you to do this? We would have given your friend back." Luc said.

"I was just in the neighborhood and I saw this place, run down as it was my curiosity got the best of me." Half-truths were always the best lies.

Mathieu nodded and Luc started but Tristan looked like this was the best news ever.

Tristan had an idea. It was a great idea. Probably the best idea ever, well the best one he ever had at least.

If they have Fogg, then they would have two hostages for the photographs. And that means that one of them were expendable. There was only one that they needed but the other one would be fair game.

Finally, Tristan can have Jules without any intervention from Mathieu or Luc. He quickly conveyed his idea to Mathieu and Luc in hushed tones, but Luc did not want any part of it.

Luc still believed that they would need both of them in the future. Now they have leverage. They could afford mistakes just in case anything went wrong, but not if Tristan kills Jules.

"Tristan, why don't you go to the Hotel and see if they have the photographs there yet?" Luc asked looking out the window; the sun would surely set within the hour.

"Alright, Luc" Tristan agreed but he had another plan.

"Mathieu! Come here I need to speak with you."

Mathieu practically jumped up and flew over to Tristan, sometimes Mat had too much energy.

"Mathieu, I need a favor."

-----

The Hotel Del Rio was a charming place but it lacked hiding places.

Blending in seemed to work okay, but only if the people that one was trying to follow would not recognize one. That was still unknown.

Passepartout dressed as a bell boy, not a bad one at that in his red coat and black trousers he looked pro moving from one person to another as if he had done this all his life and earning himself a new chocolate making machine at same time. Passépartout watched the front entrance as Rebecca took a new position in the front desk.

They had been here for hours, it was almost sun set and Phileas had not retuned yet. Rebecca wasn't sure if she should be worried or angry. What was keeping him? He should have covered all of Paris by now.

Oh look, another customer. He had gorgeous dirty blond hair.

"Hello. How can I help you today, sir?" she said the line she had been using as a greeting for the last four hours.

"Yes, my name is Jacques Smith. I think you might have something here for me."

Rebecca looked at the guy. So this was the man that was behind it all. She motioned for Passpeartout and said to the man as calmly as she possibly could, "Why yes, we do have something left here for you. Just follow this man to receive your package."

The man nodded and did as she said.

When the man followed Passepartout into the hallway that they had discussed earlier Rebecca got up from her position and went after them.

---

Passepartout led the man into the hallway and after a good ten feet, Passpartout suddenly turned and stuck the man squarely in the jaw.

Miss Rebecca came and slammed the man into the wall and Passepartout held him there.

"Where did you take our friend?"

"He's at the warehouse down the road."

_Damn!_ Why did he give in so easily? It would have been nice to bring some pain into his life.

"Take us there. And do not try anything." Rebecca commanded.

---

Tristan really hated lying to Luc but this was one of those things.

Mathieu had told Luc that he would take Jules to the other side of the warehouse and watch him there while Luc would guard Fogg. This way they would be in constant fear for each other. Really the logic in that was a bit hard to fight so Luc agreed.

Mathieu had brought Jules over to him and then left for the hotel.

Now it was just him and Jules.

That was good because Jules deserved everything that was about to happen to him.

Last night:

"Tristan, why don't you go jump off a bridge?" Monique said, but he knew she was kidding, she had to be…

"I would do anything that would make you happy, and if that would suffice then I will." Tristan said over dramatically.

Monique laughed and infectiously smiled. Tristan truly would do anything to make her happy because nothing would make him happier. Tristan and Monique were not officially together but Tristan thought that they would be soon. She was perfect for him.

They walked to the café they were suppose to meet some friends at and sat next to a bunch of college kids.

They were young and seemingly friendly. In their own way they filled the entire café. Tristan had left to use the bathroom and when he came back their friends were there. Tristan had been so busy with everything that was suppose to go down that night that he didn't notice that he had left Monique alone for at least a few hours.

When he went to check on her, Monique was talking with this boy, about twenty, with brown curly hair. He had a deep voice that was calming and a certain atmosphere that was hard to place about him.

He was flirting with Monique! Monique smiled politely but Tristan knew that it was fake.

Tristan was about to confront the kid when Luc took his shoulder and told him it was time to go. So Tristan left, too angry to tell Monique that he would go. Glancing back on his way out he saw the kid kiss her, but there were things to do, the kiss could be put off. That kid is as good as dead.

----

Phileas watched as they took Jules away. he had the overwhelming desire to throttle each and everyone of them but under the current circumstances it would be hard.

"What are you going to do to him?" Phileas asked, seemingly nonchalantly.

Luc smiled and taking out his own knife he sat down across from Phileas.

----

Jules had no idea what was going on. But he felt better now. After a while one just got used to the pain.

Jules sat up to find that his hands were once again tied behind his back. He looked around and saw Tristan leaning against the wall.

Jules looked at him but he seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. Jules tried to loosen the ropes but that didn't work and when he tried to stand up, Tristan came over and pushed him down.

"No you don't kid" Tristan said, "No one messes with my girl and gets away with it."

Jules just stared at him. He had never seen Tristan until today, but the guy seemed to have a huge problem with him.

"What do you mean? I've never even seen you before." Jules stated.

"Wrong kid." Tristan said, he walked over to a bag and rummaged around coming out with a knife, "You remember last night, don't you? That girl you were talking to, she's mine."

"I can hardly believe that she would date scum." _Who said that!_ Oh, that was him, he was spending way too much time Fogg.

"You little..." Tristan kicked Jules in his already damaged ribs, "…bastard!"

Jules coughed up blood and spat it at Tristan's shoes, the best he could do at the moment. But it would be hell if he just let Tristan do what he wanted, especially if Tristan had no reason to be angry with him.

Tristan growled and dragged Jules up by his collar. Holding Jules against the wall Tristan held the knife to Jules's throat.

----

Rebecca, Passepartout, and Mathieu took a carriage to the warehouse. All the way Mathieu seemed like he really wanted to get back, not get away. _Odd_

"If anything has happened to our friend you will pay." Rebecca threatened.

Mathieu looked terrified by this, and Rebecca smiled inside.

----

Mathieu led them into the warehouse and decided that it would be best to bring them to Luc.

When he got there, Luc and Fogg were sitting still on the floor.

Rebecca did not rush forward or do anything that Mathieu would have expected.

She took out her pistol and pushing it against Mathieu's temple and ordered, "Put down your weapons and unite him."

Luc did what Rebecca told him to. No choice. Gun to his friend's head? Nope, no questioning her at all.

Rebecca and Passepartout tied up Mathieu and Luc while Phileas watched.

"Where did you take Jules?" Phileas asked, once again seemingly without emotion.

"Hes with Tristan, and you should hurry. Tristan isn't very happy." Mathieu replied

----

"What gave you the right to talk to my girl?" Tristan questioned.

Jules didn't know if that was rhetoric or not. So he chose not to answer and said, "I do not think that she belongs to anyone, she can talk to whoever she wants to. She is old enough."

"That does not answer my question, what gave you the right?" Tristan really wanted to know the answer. What little trick did he use to talk to Monique? The thought angered him, he tricked her! How could he?

"Look, I did not go up to her, she talked to me first." Jules said defensively.

"Stop lying and tell me why!" Tristan said, anger flowing though his whole body. The pressure he put on the knife was much more than he wanted to and blood started to leak from the line he had made, but Jules stuck to his first statement.

"She wouldn't kiss you. She wouldn't do that!" Tristan said. _That's it_. Tristan couldn't take the lies anymore.

Monique wouldn't do this to him, the only possible reason that any of this could happen is if the kid did it. He forced himself to her!

Tristan suddenly removed the knife at Jules's throat and let the kid slump forward before backhanding him with the knife. Blood poured from the gash on the kid's forehead. That only fueled his anger.

The kid fell back against the wall and tried to escape. Tristan quickly grabbed his shoulder and gave him a upper cut before Jules went down.

Tristan pulled the kid back to a standing using the kid's hair. Tristan couldn't take the kid's face for another second. He pushed his knife into Jules's stomach and twisted it. Jules's face similarly twisted itself showing pain.

Good now the kid knows what he felt last night.

Tristan pulled out the knife slowly. He wanted to make sure the kid could feel the pain he went though. And remembering last night he felt renewed pain in his heart. Deep inside his heart, it felt as if it had shattered. He wanted to shatter the kid's heart.

----

Phileas, Rebecca, and Passepartout ran to the other side of the warehouse. It could not have taken more than a minute, but a lot of things can happen in sixty seconds.

They reached the small room Mathieu told them to go to and threw open the door.

-----

Tristan plunged the knife into the kid's chest, hoping that the knife had hit its mark, Tristan once again twisted it.

Tristan let the kid fall this time watching.

----

Phileas and Rebecca acted on instinct and tackled Tristan to the ground. Phileas motioned Passepartout to hold him there as Rebecca went to Jules.

Blood drenched his front shirt and he was struggling to breathe; gulping in breaths in between the bursts of blood that kept coming out of his mouth.

"Jules, you're going to be just fine." Rebecca tried to calm him down, but even she knew that was a complete lie. The knife had gone into his heart. And from the looks of it, he would bleed to death before they would even get to the front door of the warehouse.

There was nothing to do. So they watched their friend struggle for life, doing their best to comfort him.

Jules's chest heaved. There was too much blood. It kept coming from his mouth and he found some relief when someone held his head up but it didn't help much.

The blood just kept coming. Six liters is all the human body can hold and yet when watching it come out of someone there seems to be much more.

Jules couldn't breathe anymore. His body seized up and down, he was fighting but he was not going to win.

He stopped moving. Rebecca tried to find his pulse but there was none. No! This can't happen. This is not supposed to happen. Jules couldn't die here in this run down piece of shit.

Rebecca didn't cry. No she couldn't. No breaking down yet.

She screamed instead and stood up. Phileas had been right next to her the whole time. he was still next to Jules. Phileas moved in to take Rebecca's place as she moved to where Passepartout was holding Tristan.

She looked up at him accusingly, nothing but hatred in her eyes. She would have killed him there if Passepartout did not stop her; convincing her that there were more painful things that could be inflicted on him.

Tristan wasn't even listening. He was glad that the kid was dead, but he never killed anyone before. He didn't even know that he could. But the weird thing was that he liked it. He had complete control of the situation and he loved it. The kid never stood a chance.

-----

Jules funeral was held a few days later.

Passepartout spent the last few days being completely silent. Which was strange, but he couldn't talk. Each time he tried nothing but a breath came out.

Phileas spent the last few days completely drunk. He knew that this was a temporary solution but he couldn't help it. even temporary relief was good. But when the day of the funeral came he didn't take a drink. He wanted to be sober for it but the thing was that he was hung over.

Rebecca spent the last few days mostly crying and staring off into space. She was never one to cry. She was too stong for that, but Jules's death seemed to have opened something.

She did not know why but she was no longer crying for Jules, he was in a better place. Away from all the fear and all the dangers of this world. He was at peace. Now she was crying for Phileas, for all the pain he would have to go through because Phileas would never let anything out. For Passepartout because he lost so much more than Jules that day. For the world because they would never know Jules.

A/N: If you want me to continue with the same story I have something lined up to bring Jules back. But I don't know if anyone wants it. tell me if you do.


End file.
